I Know
by Gr4veM1nd
Summary: Inspired by a deleted scene in Return of the Joker. Bruce returns to the place where it should have ended. What he finds there, will bring back old memories - and conjure up new ones.


**Autuor's Nose: This is just something I decided to whip up a couple of weeks back while in my Creative Writing class. It's inspired by a deleted scene in Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (This is NOT a shot-for-shot translation because there were some continuity issues with the scene itself and the final product, I just tried and make it fit into the plot of the film). I think it turned out pretty well, but I'll let you be the judge of that.**

**And for those wondering about Wings First, I know this is somewhat out of left field, but don't panic. I'm still working on it, it's just not on my top list of priorities at the moment (and because Chapter 11 has become a bigger monster than I orginally let on).**

**Anyway, enjoy the story and don't forget to comment.**

**Take care,**

**-Gr4ve**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to use Batman Beyond. It belongs to Warner Bros. Animation/DC Comics.**

Dedicated to Paul Dini and Bruce Timm. Thank you for inspiring me and shaping my childhood.

* * *

_I Know_

The car pulled up at the old rusted gate, its rusted bars fading away from history, just like the rest of this place.

Just beyond the gate was a partially demolished mansion. The building never _truly_ met its demise because a newer, better building was already established years before. So it was left to rot here, a permanent scar in the history of this city.

He tried to recall the name of the place, but when the lightning that struck revealed its name to him, everything came back to him, but it was all bad memories of an encounter long ago.

_Arkham Asylum_.

The man stepped out of the car, opening his umbrella to shield himself from the falling rain. He was an old man, his hair was ashen white, his stance was hunched over, but his chin remained strong, representing his heritage as a doctor's son, a famous one at that. Thomas Wayne was his father. The man that stared at the gate, with both fear and determination in his eyes was his son, Bruce, who once led a double-life during most of his adulthood as the world-renowned hero, the Batman. But that was in the past. A new Dark Knight now watched over Gotham now, one Terry McGuiness, whom Bruce offered the mantle to when he himself couldn't continue.

And so began a new age of hope for Gotham City. Throughout the years, the threats that harmed the city began to fade and dwindle thanks to this new Batman almost to the point where they became non-existent, but recent events changed all of that.

Recently, the city came under siege to a man claiming to be none other than Bruce's old nemesis as Batman, the Joker. He encountered him at a party celebrating his return to his company, Wayne Enterprises. Luckily, Terry stopped him before he could hurt anyone, but unfortunately, he got away. Since then, Bruce requested that Terry resign as Batman. Joker was just too dangerous for him, imposter or otherwise. They haven't spoken to each other since.

Since then, Bruce had begun investigating this new Joker. He started by doing a simple voice comparison with one of his old televised warnings that he had on record in the Bat Computer, and unsurprisingly, it was an identical match. Whoever was impersonating him was doing a hell of a job. He then started to make more anti-toxin for his Joker Venom, a chemical that could be turned into a gas and could form a permanent grin on the victim's face and leaving him incapacitated, but even though it didn't kill the victim, it was still a fate worse than death in Bruce's eyes.

Luckily, Bruce was able to find a cure shortly after the first time the Joker used it to try and contaminate the Gotham River with it, but it took a lot of time to produce only one dose and it wouldn't be ready until he got back.

In that time, he decided to pay one last visit here, Arkham Asylum. It was no surprise to anyone that knew him that Bruce was more than shocked that Joker came back. It was also no surprise that Bruce would be, admittedly, a little paranoid about it. The reason why he was here of all places was to just make sure, make sure that he was still…

_No,_ he thought. _Don't think like that. He's dead. There's no way he could be still alive after that._

He shook it off and opened the gate. He walked up the pathway until he reached the kicked down iron door, showing the dark, dank hallway of the cell block corridor. Sighing, he walked into the building. He closed up the umbrella, looking around at the cells that made up the walls of the corridor; the names on top of them bringing back bad memories of past encounters long ago.

_E. Nigma._

_H. Dent._

_A. Wesker._

He then started to have memories of _the_ event. The event that would change his life forever. The memory was as vivid and clear as his parents' murder.

_"Hush little baby, Don't you cry, Momma's gonna buy you a mockingbird,"_

The singing, it was from Harley Quinn, the Joker's henchwoman. They had _him_ here.

His son.

_"Where's Robin?!"_

Tim Drake, otherwise known as Robin.

He and Barbara Gordon, also known as Batgirl, had been searching for Tim for three weeks. Eventually, they were given an invitation. The Joker revealed to them that Tim was being held in Arkham Asylum (not the new building, but the old one) and they made it their hideout.

_"Robin? There's no Robin here."_

_"Maybe he means our li'l J?"_

_"Of course! That's it!"_

He thought he was joking when he pointed to that curtain, he prayed that he was joking. He hoped that he was unharmed.

_"Say hello, J.J."_

But fate has a funny way of doing things.

_"No."_

The Joker had done the unthinkable. What stood before wasn't Tim. He _wanted_ to believe it wasn't Tim.

But it was.

What the Joker did to Tim would haunt him for the rest of his life.

What the Joker did to _him_ would haunt him for the rest of his life.

At that point, Bruce had snapped. He chased Joker into the stands, where things only got worse.

_"I'll begin with how I peeled back the layers of the boys mind,"_

He didn't just brainwash him or control him. He _broke _him and rebuilt him in _his_ image.

_"But all too soon the serums and the shocks took their toll,"_

The images were too much. Seeing Tim like that, strapped up and trying to fight it with all his strength. It was too much for him to watch.

_"And the dear lad began to share such secrets with me. Secrets that are mine alone to know…"_

The Joker didn't do this for personal gain; he did this just to get to _him_. And he was there, in his trap, being mocked by the one man who could do the impossible.

_"Bruce."_

The name rang in his mind like a church bell. Even to this day, it haunts him to hear his name come out of _that_ voice.

_"It's true Batsy, I know everything and kind of like the kid who peaks in his Christmas presents, I must admit, it's sadly anti-climatic. Behind all the stern and batarangs, you're just a little boy in a playsuit crying for mommy and daddy,"_

He clenched his fist. The following insult still echoing in his mind.

_"It'd be funny if it weren't so pathetic… Oh, what the heck, I'll laugh anyway. HA HA HA HA HA!"_

The fight that followed caused him to throw everything he was taught out the window. He wouldn't just _stop_ him.

_"I'll break you in two."_

He would _kill _him.

_"Oh, Batman. If you would've had the guts for that kind of fun, you would've done it years ago. I on the other hand…"_

But again, fate has a funny way of doing things.

_"Here you go, sonny boy. Make daddy proud. Deliver the punch line."_

He remembered looking into Tim's eyes as he pointed the gun at him, his giggles still echoing in his mind.

_"Tim."_

The gun shot rang in his mind. The spear speeding toward his nemesis's heart. He remembered his final words.

_"That's not funny. That's not…"_

He stopped at the door. He looked up and looked at the sign. Yep, he was here.

_Surgery Theater._

He inhaled and opened the door slowly, expecting anything that could be beyond that door.

What he found staring at him, in the center of the room, would haunt him for the rest of his life.

Bruce's eyes widened in fear. What stood before him was a rotting corpse, in a purple tuxedo and green vest and big purple bow tie with a giant grin plastered on its face hanging by the neck from the ceiling. But what really brought it home was the sign that hung around its neck in big red letters.

_I Know Where You Live._

_No._ He thought.

In an instant, he turned on his heel and was out of the building. As he approached his car, the words continued to linger in his mind.

_I Know Where You Live._

He closed the door and the car sped away, leaving the mansion, and its newfound horrors, behind.

* * *

**A/N: Well, I hope you've enjoyed this little expedition. I know it's a little different than what you Wings First fans are used to, but don't worry, I haven't forgotten about you guys, I'm just taking a break from it for now. Anyway, I found writing in this style rather fun and it got me to expand my style in a way that felt comfortable to what I'm used to writing, it was a breath of fresh air and I hope you liked it.**

**And like I said, DONT PANIC ABOUT WINGS FIRST. I'm still working on it when I'm able to and a new chapter will be up in no time.**

**Anyway, hope you liked the story, and don't forget to leave a comment.**

**Take care,**

**-Gr4ve**


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